way to heauen to himselfe And what promises hee hath made to vs to intise and draw vs to come vnto him and what threatnings and warnings hee hath giuen vs to shun hell it is impossible for mee and all the Writers in the world to write Saint Iohn saith If all things which Christ did were written the world would not containe the Bookes But I am sure if all the Writers in the world had written what Christ hath done for vs they could not sufficiently declare it If all the sea were inke and all the iron in the world were pennes and all the creatures writers they could neuer declare the great benefits the great blessings and the great mercies giuen vnto vs in Christ Iesus our Lord Sauiour What is man without Christ more then a firebrand of hell and what an excellent creature a man is in Christ can hardly bee expressed and yet there are many that are angry because there are so many bookes Reading good bookes worketh a mans heart to godlines for euen as the fire warmeth the wax and maketh it fit to receiue a good fashion euen so good bookes written of the mercies of God in Christ are the way to Christ and teach vs how to shun the way that leads from Christ. But because I would haue you writers of the mercies of God in Christ I will tell you what good writing of bookes doth It maketh the the way to Christ easie to those that desire to goe in it And I will tell you who are they that are angry with writing of bookes they are such as are ignorant and the more ignorant they are the more angry they are those that loue the world so well that they cannot finde leasure to read bookes Saint Iohn saith Loue not the world nor the things that are in the world for the loue of the world is an enmity to God And here you see that they are enemies to God for they loue not to haue him so much written of And they that loue not many bookes loue not many Sermons neyther doe they care so much to know what Christ hath done for them and how they should follow Christ they are stalled with it they loue the earth they can talke of it yeere after yeere and they are neuer weary In truth it would weary a heauenly minded Christian to heare an earthly-minded man how continually hee will talke of the earth and earthly things the very time that hee is in the Church hee can hardly hold his peace from talking of some earthly thing or other and the whole Sabbath which God sanctified and rested himselfe and in mercie to him commanded him to rest that will neuer rest from these earthly and transitorie things for heauenly rest hee neuer respecteth Truely I thinke he meaneth to make himselfe sure of hell heereafter for Christ saith Hee that loueth the world is an enemy to GOD And he that is an enemy to God can neuer come to bee an inheritour of the kingdome of heauen except hee returne and reconcile himself to God through Christ and hee cannot bee thus reconciled except he leaue his earthly affections and attend vpon Christ for God loueth none but those whom he seeth waiting and attending vpon his Sonne then the Almightie God accepteth him as his sonne and bids him call him Father and whatsoeuer hee needs he is ready to furnish and relieue him withall but if hee be obstinate and will not attend vpon Christ but attends his owne businesse and worldly affaires GOD neuer respecteth him how many friends soeuer hee hath in the world nor how mightie soeuer they are and then are his riches and his friends nothing worth neither can they doe him the least good as can be thought of Now hee that loues not writing of bookes nor hearing of Sermons hee hath little leasure and lesse desire to pray this I assure you is true and his owne conscience will tell him so much let him examine it when he will for Sermons and reading good bookes are the only means to bring a man to praier and praier is the only meanes to helpe vs to the mercies of God in Christ for if we heare Sermons and do not pray earnestly to GOD for Iesus Christs sake to send the holy Ghost to inlighten our vnderstanding and to sanctifie our hearts and follow that which wee heare we are neuer the better for many heare and vnderstand not and many vnderstand and follow it not but there is none that praieth faithfully to vnderstand and for grace to follow it that obtaineth not if hee continue in true praier The holy Ghost saith Pray alwaies and in all things be thankefull and the promise is made Aske and ye shal haue that is whatsoeuer you goe about pray to God to blesse it and thanke God in prosperitie and aduersitie or howsoeuer it pleaseth God to deale with you for it commeth by his prouidence therefore bee thankefull to God what crosse soeuer it pleaseth him to lay vpon thee Doe not as they which rage and sweare at the losse of a few earthly things but thanke God againe and againe that it is no worse If it bee but for the losse of some earthly thing it cannot bee ill for the childe of God for Iob neuer honoured God so much nor did so much good in the Church of God while hee was rich as when hee was poore for when hee was rich the diuell himselfe told God that Iob serued him not for nothing As if hee should say Thou hast giuen him many blessings if he should not bee thankefull it were a maruell CHAP. 24. The vnthankefulnesse of rich men a great sinne OH this will bee a witnesse against many rich men which receiue many great blessings and yet they bee vnthankefull for the diuell thought that he which receiued gifts and blessings could not chuse but bee thankefull and yet when Iob was rich he neuer did God so much honour nor seruice in his Church as when his goods were gone for before hee was a rich man and liued well and gaue somthing to the poor what should hee haue done w th his goods else so did many more besides him But when all his goods were taken away hee did not as worldly men do he did not say I am bewitched or it is the negligence of my seruants but he said The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh and as it pleaseth the Lord so it commeth to passe blessed be the name of the Lord And thus hee became thankefull for his losses This is a thing that euery one cannot doe and hee was so patient and thankefull what crosses soeuer it pleased God to lay vpon him that he glorified God in his obedience and shewed that he loued God and that his loue was not set on this worldly wealth So he might haue God without the world he cared not hee was none of those that must needes haue God and the world together or
THE MOTHERS BLESSING OR The godly counsaile of a Gentle-woman not long since deceased left behind her for her CHILDREN Containing many good exhortations and godly admonitions profitable for all Parents to leaue as a Legacy to their Children but especially for those who by reason of their young yeeres stand most in need of Instruction By M ris DOROTHY LEIGH PROVERB 1.8 My sonne heare the instruction of thy father and forsake not the lawe of thy mother Printed at London for Iohn Budge and are to be sold at the great South-dore of Paules and at Brittaines Burse 1616. TO THE HIGH and excellent Princesse the Lady ELIZABETH her Grace daughter to the high and mightie King of great Brittaine and Wife to the illustrious Prince the Count Palatine of the Rhine D. L. VVisheth all grace and prosperity here and glory in the world to come MOst worthy renovvned Princess I beeing troubled and wearied with feare lest my children should not find the right way to heauen thought with my selfe that I could doe no lesse for them then euerie man will doe for his friend which vvas to write them the right way that I had truely obserued out of the written word of GOD lest for vvant of vvarning they might fall where I stumbled and then I should think my selfe in the fault who knew there were such downe-falls in the world that they could hardly climbe the hill to heauen without helpe and yet had not told them thereof Wherefore I writ them the right and ready way to Heauen wel waranted by the scriptures of the olde and new Testament which is the true word of God and tolde them how many false paths they should finde how they should finde them and what care they should haue to shunne them if they tooke a false way what a trouble they should haue in turning againe what danger if they went on and of many doubts which the world would make without a cause and how silent it would bee in danger Thus when I had writtē vnto them of these things I was at much peace quiet and contentment But as no contentment in the world continueth long so sodainly there arose a new care in my minde how this scroule should bee kept for my children for they were too young to receiue it my selfe too old to keepe it men too wise to direct it to the world too wicked to endure it Then in great griefe I looked vp to heauen from whence I knew commeth al comfort and looking vp I saw a most Angelicall throne of Princely Peeres and peerelesse Princes prepared for heauen and yet by the appointment of God were heere to comfort vs on the earth then I perceiued that this Throne was the ioy of England then I considered that the highest blud had the lowest mind then I sawe humility looking downe-ward while the sweet slips of her vertue grew vpward then euen then Princely Lady I beheld your mild and courteous coūtenance which shewed your heart was bent to doe good to all wherefore without feare and with much faith I aduentured to make your Grace the protectresse of this my Booke knowing that if you would but suffer your name to bee seene in it Wisedome would allow it and all the wicked winde in the world could not blow it away The Lord multiply his graces more and more on you and vouchsafe vnto you a numerous posterity in whom your Grace may receiue much ioy and comfort and GODS Church and true Religion continuall defence and propagation Your Graces in all humble and obseruant duty D. L. TO MY BELOued sonnes GEORGE IOHN and WILLIAM LEIGH all things pertaining to life and godlinesse MY Children God hauing taken your Father out of this vale of teares to his euerlasting mercy in CHRIST my selfe not onely knowing what a care hee had in his life time that you should be brought vp godlily but also at his death being charged in his will by the loue and duty which I bare him to see you well instructed and brought vp in knowledge I could not chuse but seeke according as I was by duty bound to fulfill his will in all things desiring no greater comfort in the World then to see you grow in godlinesse that so you might meet your Father in heauen where I am sure hee is my selfe being a witnesse of his Faith in Christ. And seeing my selfe going out of the world and you but comming in I know not how to performe this duty so well as to leaue you these few lines which will shew you as well the great desire your Father had both of your spirituall and temporal good as the care I had to fulfill his will in this knowing it was the last duty I should performe vnto him But when I had written these things vnto you and had as I thought something fulfilled your Fathers request yet I could not see to what purpose it should tend vnlesse it were sent abroad to you for should it be left with the eldest it is likely the youngest should haue but little part in it Wherefore setting aside all feare I haue aduentured to shew my imperfections to the view of the World not regarding what censure shall for this bee laid vpon mee so that heerein I may shew my selfe a louing Mother and a dutifull Wife and thus I leaue you to the protection of him that made you And rest till death Your fearefull faithfull and carefull Mother D. L. Counsell to my Children MY Sonnes the readers of this book I doe you not intreate To beare with each misplaced word for why my paine 's as great To write this little booke to you the world may thinke indeed As it will be at any time for you the same to read But this I much and oft desire that you would doe for mee To gather hony of each flowre as doth the labourous Bee Shee lookes not who did place the Plant nor how the flowre did grow VVhether so stately vp aloft or neere the ground below But where she findes it there she workes and gets the wholsome food And beares it home and layes it vp to doe her Country good And for to serue her selfe at need when winter doth begin VVhen storm and tempest is without then she doth find within A sweet and pleasant wholsome food a house to keepe her warme A place where softly she may rest and be kept from all harme Except the Bee that idle is and seekes too soone for rest Before she filled hath her house whereby her state is blest And then as she did rest too soone too soone she sorrow knowes VVhen stormes and tempests are without then she her selfe beshrowes She looketh out and seeth death ready her to deuoure Then doth she wish that she had got more of the wholsome flowre For why within her store is spent before the winter's past And she by no meanes can endure the stormy winters blast Shee looketh out and seeth death and findes no lesse within
leaue my Lands Lordships and Tenements with you in trust till I come again let thē to my friends let thē such pennyworths that they may well liue vpon them let your owne friends some part of them deale so in it as at my cōming home I may finde you faithfull Now if this seruant should neglect his charge neglect his owne friends and his masters and go for a little more rent which his master cared not a whit for let his lands and tenements to his vtter enemies who growing rich with the Lands and goods of this noble Lord would bee ready to bidde him battle at his returne home to strike at him with his owne sword iudge you would not this Lord think he had dealt very euill with him nay would not euery honest man that should but heare of it thinke say that he had dealt most vildly with so good a Lord and Master and that he were neuer meete to come in the company of an honest man againe Thus hath Christ dealt with vs When our wicked father and vngodly mother Adam and Eue cast vs into the puddle of sin ran away left vs there where we should neuer haue beene able to haue gotten out Iesus Christ the onely Son of the high and mighty God our mercifull Lord and Sauiour came by and washed vs and brought vs vp at his own cost charges and we haue nothing but frō him he taught vs himselfe in all good doctrine and being gone to ouercome the enemy of his King and Country he hath left his goods with thee bids thee to deale well with his seruants and let them good penny-worths and deale not with his enemies neither make any mariage with thē yet thou for a little money wilt buy and sell marry and giue in marriage with them yea thinkest because thou findest thē more rich in the world they are better for thee to deale withall yet they are the vtter enemies of thy Lord and will bee ready at his comming to bid him battle and strike at him with his owne sword CHAP. 45. The right use of goods HEere thou seest what cause thou hast to loue Christ and his seruants and how thou oughtest not to loue thine own but to vse it as the Lord hath appointed thee whose indeede it is If thou dealest not with thy Lords goods and lands as he hath appointed thee art thou not in a great fault Surely thou hast nothing to say for thy selfe saue to appeale to his mercy confesse thy sinnes amend thy life But if a Preacher whō God hath enlightned to see what he was out of Christ what he is in Christ and hath willed him to tell the people from his mouth how he and they should now behaue themselues inwardly in their hearts outwardly in their goods and substance if he I say Whom God hath set vpon a hill to giue light to many if he I say whom God hath giuen much vnto and of whom much shall bee re-required if he I say whom the sunne of vnderstanding should arise vpon nay if he I say in whose heart the glorious Sonne of God should shine will darken his glorie with the thicke clouds or rather thicke clods of this earthen world his sin is great but what did I say darken their light nay they darken the light of the Gospell that all should see to goe by nay they darken the glorious light of the Son of God ecclipse his glory wheras they should draw many vnto Christ by thier liberalitie and true preaching they driue many from Christ by loue of their owne as they say by their idlenes negligence in preaching as I say I say this loue of their own as they call it is a thousand times worse in them doth a multitude more of hurt then in other ordinarie men who loue the world as well as they but there are not so manie that looke on them and God hath not set them for a light as hee hath done the Preachers And the reason why the Preachers are many times ouercom is this because the enemie doth bend all his forces against them not vnlike the enemy to the Israelites vvho sayd Fight neither against more nor lesse but against the King of Israel So doth our enemy the Diuell hee fighteth neither against more nor lesse but against the Captaines of the Church namely the Preachers for he knoweth that if they bee once ouercome then the whole armie will soone bee confounded and brought to nought Bee you all vpholders of them which by no meanes can bee done but by prayer for as our preachers should pray for al so all should send vp their praiers to Almightie God in the name of his Sonne to send his holie Spirit into the hearts of the Preachers to sanctifie them throughout that they maybe holy in bodie minde following the exāple of our Sauior Christ vvho said to Peter his Apostle whom he had appointed to be chiefe Preacher to the Church of the Iewes Peter Peter Sathan hath sought to winnow thee like wheat but I haue praied that thy faith faile not Againe S. Paul appointed by the Son of God to bee cheefe Preacher to the Church of the Gentils vvitnesseth of himselfe saying The messenger of Sathan was sent to buffet me but I besought the Lord Iesus that hee might depart from mee Now in these tvvo great combates made betvveen the diuell the deare children of God ye see that praier is the vveapon vvhereby the Tempter is ouercome Wherefore I earnestlie entreat you let your praiers alvvaies be sent vp to God through Christ for the Preachers all such as are in high places that so they continuing firme and stedfast your faith may by thē be more confirmed And the blessing of God Almightie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost be with you all from this time euen to the worlds end Amen FINIS 1. Tim. 5.8 Mat. 6 33. Num. 11.3 Ioh. 6.27 Gal. 4.4 Math. 4.23 Rom. 4.25 Heb. 2.14 Ioh. 17.24 Es. 49. 15. Gal. 4. 19. Rom. 9. 3. Ioh. 6. 27 Mat. 20. 6. Reu. 14. 13 Ioh. 5. 35 Ioh. 12.8 Math. 19. 24. Iam. 5.1 1. Tim. 6. 10. Math. 16. 26. Ioh. 11.25 26. Psal. 1. 2. Rom. 14.8 Eccl. 12.1 Deut. 11. 19.20 Gen. 18.19 Psal. 122.6 * The story of Susanna though it be not canonicall nor to be equalled to those books that are yet it may bee true and of good vse as many other histories written by men are Exod. 20. 9. Gen. 3 12. Prou. 2.18 Gen. 3.15 Ioh. 6. 53 Gen. 3.6 1. Sam. 19. 12. 1. Sam. 25. 3. Gen. 29.17 1. Sam. 1. 10.11 Pro. 22.6 Gen. 2.18 Gen. 6.2.3 1. King 11.4 1. Ioh. 2. 15. 2. Cor. 6 14. 1. Pet. 3.7 Gen. 2.24 Psa. 101.7 Ex. 20.10 1. Tim. 4.8 1. Tim. 6 6.7.8 Matt. 22.14 Mat. 6.16 Mat. 18.20 Mat. 6.12 Luke 18. 13. Mat. 11.28 Num. 11.5 Es. 48.22 Psa. 3. 5. Mat. 28.26 Iohn 21. 25. 1. Thes. 5. 17.18 Mat. 7.7 Iob. 1.9 Iob 1.9 Ioh. 15.8 Mat. 5.16 Ioh. 16.23 Luk. 6.25 Mat. 5.16 Math. 5.19 Psa. 50.23 Mat. 16 24 1 Cor. 1.4.15 Mat. 6.9 Mat. 6.6.7 Ioh. 16.23 Mat. 7.7 Mat. 7.9 10.11 Iohn 16.13 Iohn 15.26 Mat. 11.27 Mat. 11.28 2. CO. 12.7 2. CO. 12.9 Iohn 14. 26. Iam. 4.6 1. Cor. 6. 18. 19. 2. Thes. 3. 10 Eph. 6.16 Mat. 7.7 Mat. 6.6 Therewards of Christs seruice are heauenly Hab. 2.6 The danger of breaking promise Matth. 16. 17. Luk. 18.10 Luk. 18.2 Matth. 11. 28. Matth. 26 41. Iam. 4.7 Iam. 4.14 Lu. 12.20 Exo. 20.9 Ro. 14.23 Ephe. 516 1. Cor. 3. 6. Psal. 56. 12. Matth. 19. 24. Ioh. 6.27 1. Tim. 4. 8. 1. Tim. 6.6 Mat. 6.33 Mat 6.34 Psal. 37.5 Matth. 12. 20. Mat. 16.24 Ro. 8.32 Iam. 1.15 Ro. 7. 24. 1. Sam. 17 34. 35. Lu. 12.20 Psal. 39.6 Prou. 1.7 Matth. 6. 28. 29. Ro. 10.17 Heb. 11.6 Mat. 27.5 1 Cor. 6. 13. Luk. 21.34 Mat 6.31 32. 1 Ioh. 2. 15. Matth. 12. 36. 1. Sam. 15. 22. Ro. 13.8 Psa. 37.21 1. Ti. 5.8 Iam 4.8 Mat. 18.20 Prou. 29. 18. Matth. 9. 37. 38. Phil. 2.21 1. Cor. 9. 16. Esay 56. 10. 11. Ioh. 17.9 Col. 3.1 The danger of dealing with wicked men Iob 31.29 Mat. 26.27 Gen. 6.12 Mat. 26.26 Eph. 3.18 19. Gal. 3.13 Iohn 14.7 Iohn 8.36 Eccl. 7.29 Iohn 3.16 Ioh. 11.25 Mar. 16.16 Mat. 11.27 Ioh. 19 12 Ro. 14.23 2. Cor. 6.14 Tit. 2.1 Mat. 5.14 Luk. 12.48 1. Tim. 4. 16. 1. King 22 31. Luk. 22.31 2. Cor. 12. 7.8